10 ways to make sure someone won’t ride with you ever again

For those of us who have fallen in love with cycling, there is nothing better than sharing the joy of riding with your friends and loved ones.

However, chances are that not all your friends and loved ones are as avidly into cycling as you are. As such you have to be mindful of your company if you ever wish to ride with them again. For couples especially, a fun ride can turn into a near break-up disaster.

Here are some common actions that might turn someone off from riding with you.

1. Showing up in your race kit and full-carbon bike with aero wheels when they’re setting out on their cruiser with front basket. Set ride expectations ahead of time.

2. Half wheeling. Ride with them, not ahead of them.

3. Being competitive with the other person when you’re on a casual ride. Unless you’re equally paired and both keen to go for the city limit sprint, stay seated and enjoy the company. No one likes a show-off.

4. Giving unrequested advice.

5. Going for Strava segments. Just leave it for next time.

6. Talking about racing with a non-racer. They won’t care or be able to relate.

7. Gear snobbery, kit snobbery or snobbery of any kind. While cycling is an important part of your life and you’ve chosen to invest your time and money into cycling, that’s not true for most people. Cycling is expensive and a full Dura Ace Di2 groupset is more than most people need. Most people adopt a more “ride what you’ve got, wear what’s comfortable” attitude. Even if your comments are directed at others, your snobbery may make the other person feel judged for their equipment. Keep your jokes about clip-on mirrors and SPD Keen sandals to yourself until you’re among your fellow elite cyclist friends.

8. Talking about weight. Cyclists are obsessed with race weight, power-to-weight ratio and looking lean. Not only are self-deprecation comments often unfounded and fat jokes plain mean, it’s boring.

9. Talking about how unfit you are, especially if you’re clearly stronger than them. And certainly don’t say how much your enjoying this “off-day”, “recovery ride”, “easy pace”.